Snow-shovel and ice-chopper.



W. H. MILLER.-

SNOW SHOVEL AND ICE CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. 1916- 1,,26Q276. I Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

WILLIAM H. MILLER, OF GRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 'IO MILLER VEHICLE HEATER COMPANY, OF CRAWFORIDSVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SNOW-SI-IOVEL AND ICECI-IO1?PER.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed November 9, 1916. Serial No. 130,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Snow-Shovel and Ice-Chopper, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked'thereon. c

This invention relates to an implement that is adapted tobe used by hand for removing snow from the ground or from side-walks, paths or elsewhere and for chopping and loosening and also removing thin ice or frozen snow that may be encountered or found present on the walks or paths, the invention having reference more particularly to a snow-shovel having a removable ice-chopper. r

An object of the invention is to provide a cheaply constructed, strong and durable snow shovel that shall be adapted to be easily and efliciently operated; a further object being to provide an improved snowshovel which shall be light in weight so that snow may be easily handled thereby and which shall be conveniently provided with a strong ice-chopper that may be readily applied to or removed from the shovel.

WVith the above-mentioned and other objects in view the invention consists in a snow-shovel of novel construction and preferably adapted to hold an ice-chopper; and an ice-chopper of novel construction adapted to be removably secured to the improved shovel; the invention consisting further in the parts and combination and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of the implement constructed substantially in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on the line IIII on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the implement; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan of the ice-chopper; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the improved snow-shovel minus the ice-chopper; Fig. 6 is a section on the line VIVI on Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 is a section of the ice-chopper on the line VI-VI.

Similar reference characters on the different figures of the drawings indicate like parts or features of construction herein referred to.

Constructed according to the invention the shovel comprises a blade 1 having an upwardly and forwardly curved gathering plate 2 on'its rear portion, the same being' composed preferably of galvanized sheet iron. The forward end of the blade has a turned under portion 3 to stifien the blade and form a relatively blunt front edge 4. A socket 5 is secured to the top; of the blade 1 in proximity to its middle portion, the socket being inclined with its orifice presented rearwardly. The rearward portion of the gathering plate 2 hasa collar 6 thereon extending about a suitable aperture in the gathering plate, and a handle 7 is inserted through the collar and the aperture and into the socket 5, being secured in the socket'by means of a securing device 8 and to the collar by means of a similar device 9. One side portion of the blade has a securing bolt 10 connected thereto which has a head 11 below the blade and a thumb-nut 12 above the blade, the opposite side portion of the blade having a similar bolt 13 having a head 14 and a thumb-nut 15 thereon. The bolts may be tightened in the blade or removed there-" from when shoveling snow or any light substance.

The improved ice-chopper comprises a blade 16 that is adapted to be backed against the front 4 of the shovel blade and extend from one to the opposite side edge of the shovel blade. A guide plate 17 is. arranged on the under side and a similar guide plate 18 on the upper side of the blade 16 and secured thereto by means of rivets 19, the guide plates being shorter than the chopping blade and extending backward in contact with the under and upper sides respectively of the shovel blade to retain the chopping blade in place. The chopping blade is provided with pivots 20 and 21 beyond the opposite ends respectively of the guide plates to which securing bars are connected. The securing bars are composed of sheet metal, one comprising a side bar 22 and bottom and top plates 23 and 24 respectively and adapted to embrace one side portion of the shovel blade, the securing bar being substantially U-shape in cross-section, and the plates 23 and 24 having openings 25 and 26 to receive the securing bolt 10. The opposite securing bar comprises a side bar 27 and bottom and top plates 28 and 29 respectively in which are openings 30 and 31 respectively to receive the bolt 13. The plates 28 and 29 are connected near one end thereof to the pivot 20, the plates 23 and 24 being connected to the pivot 21, so that the opposite ends of the securing bars may be swung away from the shovel blade to readily release the ice-chopper from the shovel blade, the blade 16 having rounded front end portions 32 and 33 to permit the side bars to swing outwardly.

In practical use the shovel may be used without the ice-chopper when the latter is not needed, and in case it becomes necessary to use the ice-chopper it is readily applied to the shovel blade and the thumb-nuts tightened upon the plates 24. and 29 of the securing bars while the heads of the bolts are drawn against the under sides of the plates 23 and 28 to force the bottom and top plates of the securing bars tightly against the shovel blade. When chopping ice the various parts of the ice-chopper reinforce the shovel blade so as to prevent bending the latter.

Copies 68 this patent may be obtained for Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A snow-shovel and ice-chopper comprising a shovel blade, a handle secured to the rearward portion of the blade, a chopper blade backed against the front end of the shovel blade and having two guide plates thereon embracing the front portion of the shovel blade, the chopper blade having two securing bars pivoted thereto that are detachably secured to opposite edge portions respectively of the shovel blade.

2. A snow-shovel and ice-chopper comprising a shovel blade, a .handle secured to the shovel blade, a chopper blade removably connected to the front portion of the shovel blade and having two pivots on the opposite 7 end portions thereof, two securing bars con nected at one end to the pivots respectively and normally engaging the opposite side portions of the shovelblade, and two securing bolts detachably securing the opposite ends of the securing bars respectively to the shovel blade. 7

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. MILLER.

Witnesses: i

JAMEs A. PETERSON,

JUs'rIN J. MOLONY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents,

Washington, D. 0. I 

